Better

Hi,

Last night it rained a little in Chiang Mai.  It rained a lot in Chiang Rai.  Natcha told us it rained for 3 hours.  We’re back in Chiang Rai and there is no rain tonight.  The rest of the week is anyone’s guess.

A few readers remembered the ‘Easy Monday’ tune.  It was first recorded in 1963 and has been a hit many times.

“They say that I won’t last too long __ __ (__ __).  I’ll catch a Greyhound bus for home, they all say (__ __).

But oh!  They’re dead wrong, I know they are, ‘cause I can play this here guitar.  And I won’t quit till I’m a star __ __ (__ __).”  Hint:  It’s the street of dreams for musical theater.

This morning Lisa went to the U.S. Counsel General's office to handle some routine business for our retirement visas.  Most of the time we both go, but this time only one of us could go.  The security only permits visits for those with an official appointment and my going along was not ‘official’ enough.  

We have been using ‘Grab’ a lot on this trip.  It’s a ride system similar to Uber, and it has been very efficient for us so far.  We leave the van in the hotel parking lot and just press a button on our phone, it asks where we’re going and in less than a minute, usually, it confirms that we have a ride and how long we have to wait.  The cost is less than a taxi or a Tuk-Tuk.  We first heard about it a few years ago when we visited Singapore.  Now it’s all over Thailand.

We had lunch with our good friend Marty, at an Indian restaurant called ‘Le Spice’, which sounds French to me.  We were the only patrons in the place and it was a mellow time.  He’s originally from New York and I met him when he visited Chiang Rai years ago.  

The ride home was pretty smooth until we got to the construction area.  The traffic was light but it didn’t make the  bumps and holes in the road any easier to negotiate.  Maybe by the next time we drive to Chiang Mai they will be done.  

Daku was very happy to have us back at home.  Neechanon was also happy to see us.  When Gong brought our bags upstairs, she raced ahead of him.  When the closet door was opened, she dashed inside, asking for ‘canome’, the word for treat.  She remembered that we used to have little crackers in there.  She let it go when Lisa told her they were all gone.  Hmm, that was easy.

Today’s photos are from Rice and Zen.  The first is their Zen Garden and the second photo shows one of the cabins in a wonderful green.  After ten years, the place has a character of it’s own.  

Have a Happy Tuesday.

                     Peace,

                               Danny

“Imperfection is beauty,

madness is genius, and it’s

better to be absolutely 

ridiculous than absolutely 

boring.”

~Marilyn Monroe